Overview
- The unclassified plan submitted to Congress calls for roughly 300 more combat-coded fighters than the projected 1,271 in FY2026, with an interim inventory of about 1,369 by early 2030.
- To close the gap, the Air Force proposes maximizing procurement of F-15EX and F-35A jets, with Boeing ramping to about 24 F-15EXs per year by FY2027—potentially 36 with facility funding—and Lockheed Martin aiming toward about 100 USAF F-35As annually by FY2030 within a total program capacity of roughly 156–165 jets per year.
- The report says the service lacks total obligation authority to place the needed orders and warns that industry production limits and delivery delays constrain how fast aircraft can be added.
- The plan elevates the F-47 next-generation fighter and Collaborative Combat Aircraft as top modernization priorities, proposes shifting to a broader Combat Coded Total Aircraft Inventory metric, and relies on retiring A-10s and some older F-22s while recapitalizing Guard and Reserve units.
- The Air Force cites about a $400 million annual sustainment shortfall and a planned increase in training flight hours, with both steps requiring budget trade-offs, as outside experts fault the report’s lack of FYDP detail and question whether the targets are sufficient.